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3 Utilizing a Backdrop Map

EPANET can display a backdrop map behind the pipe network map. The backdrop
map might be a street map, utility map, topographic map, site development plan, or
any other picture or drawing that might be useful. For example, using a street map
would simplify the process of adding pipes to the network since one could essentially
digitize the networks nodes and links directly on top of it.

The backdrop map must be a Windows enhanced metafile or bitmap created outside
of EPANET. Once imported, its features cannot be edited, although its scale and
extent will change as the map window is zoomed and panned. For this reason
metafiles work better than bitmaps since they will not loose resolution when re-
scaled. Most CAD and GIS programs have the ability to save their drawings and
maps as metafiles.

Selecting View >> Backdrop from the Menu Bar will display a sub-menu with the
following commands:
Load (loads a backdrop map file into the project)
Unload (unloads the backdrop map from the project)
Align (aligns the pipe network with the backdrop)
Show/Hide (toggles the display of the backdrop on and off)

When first loaded, the backdrop image is placed with its upper left corner coinciding
with that of the networks bounding rectangle. The backdrop can be re-positioned
relative to the network map by selecting View >> Backdrop >> Align. This allows
an outline of the pipe network to be moved across the backdrop (by moving the
mouse with the left button held down) until one decides that it lines up properly with
the backdrop. The name of the backdrop file and its current alignment are saved
along with the rest of a projects data whenever the project is saved to file.

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